Discharge outlet assembly for a hopper



July 6, 1965 G. B. DOREY DISCHARGE OUTLET ASSEMBLY FOR A HOPPER 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 original Filedrnec. '30, 1958y Geo 13% July 6, 1965 G. B. DoREY DISCHARGE OUTLET ASSEMBLY FOR A HOPPER Original Filed Dec. 50, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 5.0 e geo; 702)/ N Q wr July 6, 1965 G. B. DOREY DISCHARGE OUTLET ASSEMBLY FOR A HOPPER @litt/Gal.

4 Sheets-Sheet 5 5l 67 @.4.

INVENTOR. GEORGE B. DOREY BYZZ :l /MN Original Filed Dec.

July 6, 1965 G. B. DoREY -DISCHARGE OUTLET ASSEMBLY FOR A HOPPER 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Original Filed Deo; 50. 1958 INVENTOR. GEORGE B. DO EY BYZZM yf/lfh Bi@@CHAEGE4 ULET ASSEMBLY FR A lilDPiEERY George it. Borey, Westmount, Quebec, Canada, assigner vto Enterprise Raiiway Egnipment Company,-Ciiicago,`

1 iii., a corporation ci Iiiinois rignai appiication Een. 38, 1958, Ser. No. 733,749, new lat nt No. 3,1388, dated Nov. 5, 1.953.V Divided `and this appiieation Get. Sil, 1963, Ser. No. 328,220

7 Claims. (Cl. 16315-2247) This invention relates to an improvedoutlet assembly for a hopper and is particularly concerned with that type of outlet assembly having a sliding gate for the discharge opening of a railway hopper car and the like;l this application is a divisional of U.S. application Serial No. 783,749, tiled December 30, 1958, now U.S. 3,109,388, dated November 5, 1963.

The objects of the invention, among others, are: To provide an outlet assembly having a sliding gate with outwardly and upwardly inclined side flanges adapted to underlie similarly inclined walls of the hopper structure; to provide an outlet assembly having a'sliding gate wherein supports for the gate are localized adjacent each end thereof to insure sealingbearing contact at the leading end of the gate; to provide operating rack and pinion means for the gate located outwardly of the gate and frame; to provide toothed rack members at each side of the gate operable by geared pinions non-rotatably mounted on an operating shaft carried by the hopper; to provide toothed rack elements pivotally connected with a sliding gate so as to allow for deviation of the gate from the path of movement of the rack elements; ,and to provide an outlet frame structure having an upper section. overlying hopper walls and a lower section in the form of a three-sided enclosure within which the upper section is nested and secured.

The invention further resides in details associated with the construction and in the manner in which various elements are coordinated to obtain the desired results and particularly in the novel means employed for guiding and supporting toothed rack elements.

For further comprehension of the invention reference may be had to the accompanyingdrawings wherein the invention .is shown as applied to the hopper of a railway hopper car. I

in said drawings FIGURE 1 shows the lower portion of one half the width of a railway hopper. car with the improved outlet assemblyV applied thereto.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the-structure shown in FIGURE 1 as viewed from left to right', the operating shaft being shown in section.

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view of the structure shown in FIGURE l as viewed from right to left.

FIGURE 4 is a plan view- OFIGURES 2 and 3 with the hopper walls eliminated toexpose the frame proper and with certain parts broken away to better illustrate the construction. Y

FIGURE 5 is a sectional elevational view as seen at a location corresponding to a line 55 of FIGURE 4 with the gate in open position and showing in conventional dot and dash lines the position of the leading end of the gate when released from the supporting ledge.

FIGURE 6 is a vertical transverse sectional View taken through the hopper on a line 6-6of FIGURE 2.-

FIGURE 7 is a fractional transverse sectional view in perspective taken through the frame assembly and showing the relation between the upper and lower frame members with the gate in closed position. j

ln said drawings the car structure proper is indicated by a center sill 16 and an outwardly spaced side wall 11. Intermediate the center sill 1Y0 and side wall 11 is a Patent No.

ICC

load containinghopper-as generally indicated at 12. It will be understood thatsimilarhoppers are' actually-located on opposite sidesfof the center sill .10 in transvers'elyY aligned relation but inasmuch as both such hoppers are of similar const-ruczti'on,0 the deseription herein Vwill be confined to only one of such hoppers.

The load containing hopper 12fl includes oppositely sloping'loors I3 and 14 which meet with 'inner and o uter, walls 15 and 16 to form a four-*sided hopper. Y The.;

lower margins of the iioo'rs and walls formingthe hopperv 1`2ar`e spaced apartV to deiine a discharge areaor openin'g 17. Surrounding the lower portion of tliehereto! fore'described hopper 12 is a.framegenerally,indicated at 18 which includes an upper portion having wall sec'tioris 19,'20; 21 and 22 which respectively overlie the lowerv portions of iloors 13 and 14 and theV lower portions of inner and outer walls 15 and 16. The wall 21 includes an upper vertically disposed portion 23 and an inwardly anddownwardly inclined portion 24.

The lower portion of the frame 1S, which in 'eiect constitutes a `chutelike extension of the upperportion as delined by walls 19 to 22 inclusive, includes vdepending walls 2S, 26, Y27 and "28 which togetherA forma foursided,`enclosure for directing the How of lading from the load containing hopper `12 in a downward direction.

The upper edges of the walls 25,727 and 28 meet with theY undersurfaces of the downwardly sloping walls V19, 21 `and 22 and are welded `thereto as indicated at 25a, 27a and 28a, respecitvely. The wall 26, FIGURE 5, preferably consists'of a platebent to channel shape with the' 18`sasliding gate 34. The gate 34 is flared upwardlyv at the trailing endv 34' to present an'inclined end wall35 and is provided at each side with upwardly Vand outwardly` inclined side walls 36-36. The side walls36-36, which may beformed of plates welded at 37 to the main body of the gate 34, are preferably Adisposed to be parallel to and immediately adjacent to the respective overlying wall 22 and portion 24 of wall 21.

' The lower portion of upper sloping end wall 20 is reii1`V forced by an angle-shaped member 3S which is Vapplied with one wall 39 in contact with the undersurface 4870i w'all 20 and having the adjacent ,wal1'41 extending outwardlyto form a shield above the end wall 35 of the gate 34 when closed. The member38 is secured tothe wall 20 by welding as indicated at 42 and 43.. vThe walls 20 and 39 are notched at each end to accommodate the side flanges 36-36 ofthe gate 34.

At the end of the discharge opening 177 remote from the slotted opening 39 o the frame 18 a shelf V44 extends continuously between the depending walls 27 and 28 of the frame V18 and forms a support for they leading end A45 of the gate 34 whenthelatter is'in closedrposition.

The trailing end 34 of the gate 34 in its open position is vsupported on rails 4646 which extend lengthwise in` secured to and extend from the side walls" V27'a`nd 28 of the frame 18. f The trailing ,end 34 of the gate 34 is'supported bybrackets 47 which underlie thegate 34 when it is..in closed position. TheV gate 34 when in closed position is thus only. supported adjacent each .end and the weight Y Y of the gate 34 and ladingoperates to make tight sealing V Patented July `6g, 1.9657` 3 contact between the leading end of the gate and its underlying shelf 44.

Intermediate the leading and trailing ends 45 and 34' of the gate 34 there are provided brackets 48--48whichl function as supports for the gate 34 when its leading end 45 is released from its supporting shelf 44 as indicated by conventional dot and dash lines in FIGURE 5. The bearing surfaces 49 of brackets 48 are spaced slightly below the undersurface 50 of the gate 34 when the latter is in closed position thus allowing for a slight downward movement of the gate 34 at its leading end 45 upon withdrawal from the shelf 44. An inclined approach 51 to each surface 49 is provided to ease the gate 34 into position above the brackets 48 and in like manner inclined surfaces 52-52 are provided at the respective ends of the shelf 44 to ease the gate into position on the upper surface 44 'of the shelf 44. It will be understood that the function of the guiding surfaces 51 and 52 is to lift the gate 34 during its transition from open to closed position.

For the purpose of confining the flow of lading toward its ultimate destination a flexible extension chute 53 is provided as indicated by conventional dot and dash lines in FIGURE 2. The chute 53 is provided witha bordering frame 54 of angle shape including a laterally extending ange 55 for receiving and holdingthe extension chute 53 in place. VGrooves 56 are provided in two adjacent sides 26 and 27 of the frame 18 inrwhich the flange 55 is inserted and anges 57 are'provided on the other two adjacent sides 25 and 28 of the frame 18 against which the flange 55 is held in place by clamps 5S.

The operating mechanism for moving the gate 34 includes a rotatable shaft 59 journaled in bearings 60 which in turn are carried by the rails 46 which are secured to and extend from the side walls 27 and 28 of `the frame 18. The shaft 59 projects beyond the bearings 60 and toothed pinions 61-61 are non-rotatably mounted on the respective projecting ends. The shaft 59 is preferably of non-circular form. In order to provide circular-shaped journals within .theV bearings and Vpinions 61 are each formed with a circularly-shaped journal portion 62 for seating in the bearings 60. Cooperating with the teeth of the pinions 61 are toothedracks 63 and 64 which are pivotally connected with the gate 34 adjacent the trailing end 34 thereof. For elfecting a connection between the gate 34 and the racks 63 and 64 a round rod 65 is welded to the trailing end 34' of the gate 34 through the medium of brackets 66 with extensions projecting beyond the sides ofthe gate 34 to present trunnions 67 constitut- 1 ing the pivots connecting with the racks 63 and 64.

As will be noted by reference to FIGURE 6, the.

toothed racks 63 and 64 are located outwardly of and on opposite sides of the walls 28 and 27 of the frame 18. Each rack includes a body section of generally inverted T-shape having a horizontally extending body portion 68 carrying a series of teeth 69 on the undersidethereof and reinforced by an upstanding ange 70. The racks 63 and 64, `as will be understood, are movable with the gate 34 upon rotation of the shaft 59.

Supporting and guiding means are provided -to prevent vertical and lateral displacement of the floating portions of the racks 63 and 64. The supporting means for rack 63 include a plurality of shelves 71 extending outwardly from the frame 18 and welded to the side wall 28 at 72.

The guiding means includes brackets 73 disposed aboveA the rack 63. The brackets 73 are welded to the wall 22 amd extend outwardly therefrom. They have a channel portion 73a to embrace the flange 70 of the rack 63. The rack 64 on the side of the frame 18 opposite to the rack-63 is similarly supported by shelves 74 which extend from the wall 27 and are welded thereto at 75. The guiding means for rack 64 include brackets 76 which are disposed above the rack 64 and have a channel portion 76a to embrace the flange 70. The brackets 76 are welded to wall 27 at 76b. Y

It will be noted that the racks 63 and 64 are located immediately adjacent the side walls 28 and 27 of the frame 18 Yand are guided thereby against inward lateral movement. The'brackets 73 and 76 prevent outward, inward and upward displacement of the racks 63 and 64.` It will be observed that although the racks 63 and 64 are restricted to a generally horizontal straight line path of movement there is, by reason of the pivotal attachment provided by the rod between them and the gate 34, freedom for the gate 34 to adjust itself to a different path of movement as it pivots around the trunnions 67. The provision for allowing the gate 34 to move along a path of movement out of parallel with the path of movement of the racks is of importance in a construction where the angular relation of the gate 34 to the support provided by the shelf 44 and brackets 47 and 48 varies during Ithe transition from closed to open position.

The rack 63 is provided with a shouldered portion 77 located at the end adjacent the pivotal connection with the gate 34 and cooperable therewith is a pivotally mounted dog 78 which is adapted to be swung into the path of movement of the rack- 63 when the gateV 34 is in closed position. This prevents movement of the rack 63 and thegate 34 in an opening direction. By reason of the interengagement between the teeth 69 of the racks 63 and 64 and pinions 61 on the respective ends of the shaft 59 it will be observed that the gate 34 is securely held in closed position at each side of the frame. The outspread arrangement of the racks 63 and 64 and pinions 61 is conducive to the maintenance of a straight line path of movement of the gate 34- in its transition from open to closed position and vice versa.

lThe arrangement providing a slight drop in the leading end 45 of the gate 34 upon initiation of the gate opening movement provides for release of the gate surface from the pressure of the lading and is conducive to ease of operation. The absence `of continuous supporting rails for the gate 34 within the frame 18 precludes the lodgement of lading in the discharge area and this feature combined with the extension of sloping walls 22 and 24 above the gate 34 assures a clean and complete discharge of lading.

The structure involving an upper section having sloping walls 19, 22 and 24 which nest within a three-sided lower enclosure provided -by walls 25, 28 and 27 and having a welded connection therebetween is simple to manufacture and provides exceptionalY strength and rigidity to the assembly.

What is claimed as new is:

1. In a hopper having an opening for discharge of lading, in combination,

(a) a frame bordering the hopperl opening including side walls at each side of the opening,

(b) a sliding gate movable between the side walls of the frame for controlling discharge of lading and (c) means for moving the gate including:

(l) a rotatable shaft journalled Vin the side walls of the frame and extending beyond said walls to provide end portions projecting outwardly beyond said walls,

(2) toothed pinions non-rotatably mounted on the projecting shaft extensions and (3) toothed rack bars juxtaposed to the gate and connected therewith and having engagement with the teeth of the pinions for moving the gate by rotation of the shaft.

2. :The invention set forth in claim 1 wherein a swingingly mounted latch element is carried by one of the side walls of the frame4 for engagement with one of the rack'bars to block movement of the gate in an opening direction.

3. The invention set forth in claim 1 wherein guiding means carried by the frame co-operate with the rack bars for confining movement thereof to a rectilineal path.

4. In a'hopper having an opening for discharge of lading, in combination,

(a) a frame bordering the hopper having laterally spaced side walls and longitudinally spaced end walls,

(b) a sliding gate movable between the side walls for closing the opening and having a portion projecting beyond one of the end Walls when in closed position,

(c) bracket means extending laterally from each side of the projecting end of the gate to lie outwardly of the side walls of the frame,

(d) a shaft extending transversely to the direction of movement of the gate and having extensions lying outwardly of the side walls of the frame,

(e) toothed pinions nonro-tatably mounted on the shaft extensions and (f) toothed rack members extending lengthwise in juxtaposed relation to the gate vand lying outwardly of the frame side walls .and connected at one end to the laterally extending brackets of the gate,

(g) said teeth of the rack members being in meshing engagement with the teeth of the pinions for moving the gate by rotation of the shaft.

5. The invention set forth in claim 4 wherein the laterally extending brackets of the gate are in the form of circularly shaped brackets and the rack members are pivotally connected therewith to provide limited up and down swinging movement of the leading end of the gate in relation to the rack members.

6. The invention set forth in claim 4 wherein the rack members are maintained in spaced relation to axis of the pinions by means of supports located fore and aft of the pinions and wherein (a) the brackets on the gate constitute the fore supports and (b) shelves extending laterally from the frame side walls to underlie the rack members constitute the aft supports.

7. The invention set forth in claim 4 wherein the rack members include an upstanding wall extending lengthwise in the general direction of movement of the gate and brackets extending from the frame overlie the upstanding wall to maintain said members against upward and lateral movement.'

References Cited bythe Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,109,388 11/63 Dorey 10S- 253 3,130,687 4/ 64 Smith 10S-282 LEO QUACKENBUSH, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A HOPPER HAVING AN OPENING FOR DISCHARGE OF LADING, IN COMBINATION, (A) A FRAME BORDERING THE HOPPER OPENING INCLUDING SAID WALLS AT EACH OF THE OPENING, (B) A SLIDING GATE MOVABLE BETWEEN THE SIDE WALLS OF THE FRAME FOR CONTROLLING DISCHARGE OF LADING AND (C) MEANS FOR MOVING THE GATE INCLUDING: (1) A ROTATABLE SHAFT JOURNALLED IN THE SIDE WALLS OF THE FRAME AND EXTENDING BEYOND SAID WALLS 